MARK Paterson is an expert in no fewer than three martial arts - despite being severely visually impaired.

"I started when I was a teenager in Malaysia where my dad worked," said the 35-year-old, "but I never thought, 'I will beat the fact I am partially sighted'. I never thought about it at all, I just did it because I love it."

Now, the 35-year-old full-time instructor from Marske, near Redcar, is to begin giving lessons to the public.

Mr Paterson, who has a black belt in aikido, tae kwon do and jujitsu, was born with only eight per cent vision in one eye and 7.4 per cent in the other. He said not all the defence classes will be in the classic martial arts.

"They are great if you have arranged a fight between two sportspeople, but if a woman is attacked in the street or whatever, it is usually by surprise, so you have to be able to react quickly and effectively in that situation."

Mark Paterson, a victim of bullying as a child, has been self-employed as a private instructor since 1991.

Now he wants to hold self-defence classes that are open to children, women or anybody who feels it might help them.

l Anyone interested in any of the classes can contact Mark Paterson on (01642) 494863.

* For all news on grassroots sport, read Local Heroes in the Northern Echo every Friday.